Russia to start building launch pad for Angara rocket in 2018

MOSCOW, November 28 – A launch pad for the new generation space rocket Angara at the Vostochny spaceport will begin to be built early next year, the chief of the Center for Operation of Ground-Based Space Infrastructure, Rano Dzhurayeva.

“This launch pad is to begin to be built early next year. The schedule is very tight,” Dzhurayeva said.

“The costs estimated at about 40 billion rubles ($686 million) have been approved under the federal program for cosmodromes’ development,” she said.

Earlier, the CEO of the research institute of launch complexes (NIISK) at the Center for Operation of Ground-Based Space Infrastructure Ruslan Mukhamedzhanov said The construction of the infrastructure for the Angara carrier rocket at the Vostochny spaceport will begin no sooner than the spring of 2018.

Angara is a family of Russian space rockets of various classes, from light to heavy, created as a substitute for the Proton-M and Rokot rockets. In contrast to the previous generation Angara rockets use ecologically friendly fuel components. So far there have been only two launches, both from the northern site Plesetsk. A light Angara-1 2PP rocket blasted off in July 2014 and a heavy Angara-A5, in December 2014.

The Vostochny spaceport in the Amur region has been under construction since 2010. Last year the first space launch from the spaceport was carried out. The spaceport’s second unit is due to be completed in 2018. The original contractor – federal agency for special construction – was abolished. – TASS